Sometimes we just need someone to tell us what we already know.
I'm in my early 40's with the kids grown and out of the house... Career wise, I still have some growth in the technical side, but not much. This position would be engineering / management with the chance to build my own team that in would manage and mentor. The commute adding 2+ hours to the workday and away from home is really the sticking point for me. Just me, the wife and 3 dogs.

I smiled at the leftist comment... I'm near atlanta now and feel inundated at times from the socialists there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mouser

I am from NW Indiana originally and my family is from South of Chicago...money is nice especially when you are building your career. Don't know your age or career position, but most people peak out in their 40's...it is at this time, in my case, that the gold lost its glitter. By that I mean, I was doing well, managed my finances well, kids growing up and there were things that became suddenly more important...of course, my previous professional journey allowed me the luxury of choices.

For me, I am at a point in life where location is VERY important and with a company I really want to finish my career with. Illinois sucks in terms of gun laws, regulations/personal freedom, and if you are near a metropolitan center like Chicago, you will be heavily inundated by leftist, socialist philosophy....how important is that to you?

Indiana is better from personal rights/personal freedom perspective but there is a practical limit on how much time you want to commit to your commute....I am speaking from experience there.

You may have a big decision in front of you soon! This I know from the past five years....you can move where you want to in this nation and you can do what you want too...it takes perseverance and tenacity. Helps to have goals...if you did and this fits, then you probably already know the answer to the offer should you get one.

I am a life long resident of IL, do not do it. NW Indiana, at least the part close
to Chicago is a sh!t hole, to get to a decent part it will add nearly an hour, my
guess is you would be looking at 3-4 hours of commute time. Taxes here are
high, IN is better than IL but still high compared to GA. Cost of living is
higher, I would hazard you would need to double your salary/wages to break
even compared to GA. I work from home but often need to go to our plant
near Midway AP, it is 144 miles round trip and averages 3-4 hours. My best
time one way is 1:13. I have driven in Atl and while it is bad is does not touch
Chi-town. I have been stuck in traffic jams at 2AM (yes AM) trying to get
home from an airport.

BTW, when the youngest graduates HS in '20 we are the **** out of this hell hole.

__________________An Armed man is a Citizen,
An Unarmed man is a Subject. -- Unknown

Like I said 3-4 hours, 2+ is a fantasy, and it is hard driving. How much
snow and ice driving have you done? The south end of the lake is a snow
belt. Snow fall is measured in feet not inches. Have you ever lived in a
freezer for 3 months? I have seen people move here for one winter and
by February be looking for a new job. Water lines here are buried at 48"
and sometimes they still freeze. Only Minnesota, Canada and the artic is
colder.

Last Monday we had -20F temperatures, -50F wind chills my diesel fuel
with anti-gel still froze up. Water lines buried 48-60 inches deep to the
barn froze. I like winter, but -20F is damn cold.

__________________An Armed man is a Citizen,
An Unarmed man is a Subject. -- Unknown

Itasca is easy to get to from the West. Just live outside Cook County.
Check your insurance rates; the closer to Chicago, the higher your car insurance. All 'burbs are not equal!
Out in Kane county, the taxes are better, there is a great indoor range (GAT gun), plenty of shopping and food places, and pretty good living (for IL).
You have to watch where the county lines are; Cook county extends out to Elgin along I90 and the area around O'Hare airport.

The Socialists in Atlanta are wannabes compared to what you would find in Northern IL or Southern WI.

Amen Brother, Amen...

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottmac

Itasca is easy to get to from the West. Just live outside Cook County.
Check your insurance rates; the closer to Chicago, the higher your car insurance. All 'burbs are not equal!
Out in Kane county, the taxes are better, there is a great indoor range (GAT gun), plenty of shopping and food places, and pretty good living (for IL).
You have to watch where the county lines are; Cook county extends out to Elgin along I90 and the area around O'Hare airport.

A lot of burbs like Naperville and Plainfield have property taxes
in the $10-15k range for 2500-3000 sq ft houses. I am in Kan-
kakee county with a 12 sq ft house on a tar and chip road with
8 acres and well and septic and my taxes are just over $4000
per year.

Now don't for get the other taxes we have...

Add in 5% income tax,
Add in 6.25% minimum sales tax; Chicago is over 10% and most
of the burbs are in the 7.5% range.

To get a CCL in Illinois
Training will run you $200-300 (possibly less with training credits)
plus $150 application fee every 5 years...

__________________An Armed man is a Citizen,
An Unarmed man is a Subject. -- Unknown

Considering the cost of living adjustment, Chicago will erase much of your raise (no pun). I can see a quick commute across the state line. If it's a full size trip on freeways and toll roads, forget it. I have been to Chicago many times, enjoyed it, and every single time left happy that my home wasn't there. Color me skeptical.

Thanks for all the input... I'm getting the feeling that everyone loves it up there

I've lived in cold snowy places before.. But am a native of South Georgia... Didn't kind the cold, snow then... No one likes the ice though...
As far r cost of living... Yes I know it's higher.. But as far as sales and income tax., the rates in IL are better than and equal to that of GA... Income tax is actually higher here according to the rates I found... 7% sales tax is normal here.. Now property tax is ridiculous up there....

I haven't decided... But if I did, I would rent for a year before buying in IN. I found out that the office is moving down to N Canal St next year... I'd be taking the train it most of the time for that location... I've looked and the estimate is a 1 hour trip one way for that... I've decided that I will not become a resident of IL either way.. Will make very my residency to IN if I can't keep it here with the property I will still have in GA.

If I do make the move, I'd be buying at least 10 acres to live on in IN... I'm 42 and this would hopefully be my last move for my career... Job wise it would be a great career move... The personal side is the issue... We always planned to retire to the farmlands of northern to middle Indiana... This would just get us there sooner will the wife's parents are still living.... But having to commute to Chicago everyday and the time that takes may be the killer....

The personal side is the issue... We always planned to retire to the farmlands of northern to middle Indiana... This would just get us there sooner will the wife's parents are still living.... But having to commute to Chicago everyday and the time that takes may be the killer....

Make sure you are south of the Kankakee River basin and not in a flood plain.

__________________An Armed man is a Citizen,
An Unarmed man is a Subject. -- Unknown